Senate Republicans Call on Governor Hobbs to Take Action to Protect Arizona's Water Systems from Cyberattacks
PHOENIX, ARIZONA—Senate Republicans are urging Governor Hobbs to take immediate measures to safeguard Arizona's critical infrastructure, particularly its water and wastewater systems, in response to a warning from the White House about potential cyberattacks.
A letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Security Affairs highlighted "disabling cyberattacks" targeting water systems nationwide, citing recent incidents involving Iran and China. The letter emphasized that these systems are "an attractive target for cyberattacks because they are a lifeline critical infrastructure sector but often lack the resources and technical capacity to adopt rigorous cybersecurity practices."
The White House has called on state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, and establish plans for responding to and recovering from cyberattacks.
"Water is vital to lives and livelihoods. It's concerning the Governor has yet to share any information with the Legislature or the public on this matter," said Senate President Warren Petersen. "What's even more concerning is at a recent stakeholder meeting on a completely separate issue, a representative from the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs expressed to our lawmakers no knowledge of this warning from the White House."
Petersen urged Governor Hobbs to prioritize citizen safety by protecting Arizona's critical infrastructure from known threats. He also called for her support in signing legislation aimed at mitigating these threats, including SB 1403, SB 1340, and SB 1123.
For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus
kquintero@azleg.gov
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